India’s Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, has called on opposition parties to unite in the national interest and to safeguard the Constitution.
Addressing a high-level meeting in New Delhi on Monday, Gandhi warned that internal divisions could undermine the objectives of the opposition INDIA bloc. He stressed that all alliance partners must refrain from attacking one another and work together if they hope to effectively challenge the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
During his nearly 15-minute address, the senior Congress leader openly expressed frustration over the conduct of some alliance partners. He said the opposition had failed to receive the expected level of support from certain allies on sensitive issues such as alleged electoral irregularities.
Rahul Gandhi also criticized parties that, despite being part of the alliance, continue to publicly target the Congress. According to sources present at the meeting, his remarks were largely directed at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress and several Left parties.
The meeting reportedly resulted in a broad consensus among alliance members over concerns regarding voter list irregularities and alleged flaws in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process. The INDIA bloc has decided to submit a joint memorandum to the Chief Justice of India in the coming days to address the issue.
Gandhi argued that the outcome of the 2024 general election demonstrated that defeating the BJP is achievable, provided opposition parties resolve their internal disputes and strengthen cooperation.
According to election data, the BJP lost its single-party majority in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, securing 240 seats compared with 303 seats in 2019. Meanwhile, the Congress nearly doubled its tally, rising from 52 seats in 2019 to 99 seats in 2024.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge highlighted the opposition’s collective resistance to the government’s controversial delimitation bill in Parliament as a notable example of alliance unity. He said stronger coordination would be essential to address what the opposition views as shortcomings in the government’s economic, social, and foreign policies.
The meeting was held shortly after elections in four states. According to the results, the BJP formed governments in Assam and West Bengal, the Congress emerged victorious in Kerala, and actor-turned-politician Vijay’s party recorded a major success in Tamil Nadu.
Formed three years ago, the INDIA alliance has now decided to hold meetings every two months, with the next gathering scheduled to take place in Hyderabad in August.
Source: NDTV.